SILER CITY — There’s a lot of truth to the old adage that boldly claims what goes around, comes around.
Forty-eight hours after Eastern Randolph was pounded 14-2 by Jordan-Matthews to ruin its own special night recognizing seniors, the visitors from Ramseur returned the favor behind timely hitting and the pitching of Avery Jones as the Wildcats managed to spoil J-M’s Senior Night by clawing their way to a 3-0 PAC 7 2A Conference victory Thursday evening on Jimmy Warfford Field in the regular-season finale for both teams.
Snapping a seven-game losing streak, Eastern Randolph closed out the regular campaign with a mark of 7-13 overall and 6-6 in the conference, whereas the Jets finished 11-9 for the year and 7-5 in the league standings while dropping into a third-place tie with Wheatmore.
Jones went six and two-third innings on the hill to register the win, allowing just three hits in addition to walking three and fanning six before Mason Canoy relieved to record the final out and pick up a save while issuing one free pass.
“We came into tonight’s game with nothing to play for as we were already locked into fifth place,” noted Wildcats’ coach Mike Luther. “But we showed up with a lot of fire and passion to end the regular season on a positive note and give ourselves some momentum heading into next week’s conference tournament.”
Added Luther, “Whenever we play good defense we give ourselves a chance to win, and Avery Jones was lights-out on the mound this evening, throwing strikes and keeping his pitch count down.”
Jordan-Matthews’ starter Luke Hinshaw hurled four complete innings and was saddled with the loss after yielding four hits and two earned runs besides whiffing two.
J-M reliever Camden Fuquay tossed one and two-third innings, giving up two hits plus an earned run while walking four and striking out four prior to Kevin Cano pitching the final one and one-third innings, surrendering one hit and fanning one.
“Eastern Randolph outplayed us in every aspect,” remarked Jets’ coach John Will Headen. “They got runners on, moved them over and got them in, while Jones threw the ball well.”
Added the coach, “We never caught a break tonight and only got one runner as far as third base. We couldn’t piece together anything on offense and got too much air under balls that we hit.”
The Wildcats grabbed a 1-0 advantage in the top of the first as Cade Snotherly grounded a leadoff single to left, went to second on an infield error, stole third and came home on Nate Canter’s sacrifice fly to right.
Eastern Randolph padded its lead to 2-0 in the visitors’ third as Snotherly grounded an opposite-field leadoff base hit to right, stole both second and third and scored on Nyk Foland’s sacrifice fly to center.
The winners then added an insurance run in the top of the fifth as Canter smashed a one-out double to the left field fence and came home when Canoy stroked a two-out opposite-field double to right.